Ronda Rousey is uncomfortable being dubbed the women’s bantamweight champion of the UFC, but it won’t be long before she earns the title against Liz Carmouche.
“When they (UFC) brought in the guys from WEC they gave (featherweight champion) Jose Aldo and (bantamweight champion) Dominick Cruz their belts,” Rousey told ESPN.com. “They did that to me as well when they brought the women’s division over. But I don’t feel like I’ve really earned it.”
On the one hand, you’ve got to love Rousey‘s need to “earn” the title. Her refusal to let herself get entrapped by her own excellence and commitment to take each and every match as it comes are two qualities that make her great.
On the other hand, Dana White was right to give her the inaugural title, since no other woman in MMA can hold a candle to the arm-bar specialist.
And I’m guessing it won’t take long for Rousey to prove she’s worthy of the title once she and Carmouche step into the Octagon at UFC 157. After all, Rousey has dispatched every single opponent she’s ever faced in MMA events early in Round 1.
Carmouche isn’t like other female opponents Rousey has faced in the past, though. She’s unpredictable and dangerous, but Rousey is well aware of her opponent’s abilities and isn’t going into the fight unprepared.
Per McNeil’s report, she said:
(Carmouche) is a very dangerous fighter…there are fights when she comes out with flying knees, or fights when she comes in with spinning back fists, or fights when she comes in throwing a right kick followed by a right hook right away. She’s very unorthodox and very unpredictable.
The former Olympic judo star isn’t just a one-trick pony, and if she gets involved into a stand-up battle with Carmouche, she has more than enough game to throw down. Better still is her relentless belief that she’s always the underdog, no matter how much others heap praise on her shoulders.
Rousey is the best woman fighter in MMA, and she’ll prove it to herself, Carmouche and all her adoring fans on February 23 at UFC 157.
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